Big Boys Game

Posted on Mon Jun 17th, 2019 @ 6:08am by Walter Jones & Jan Valentine & Charlotte Ashcroft

826 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Set 3: Session 1- Sold!
Location: Auction House, Altari Prime

As Jones began to admire the auction hall where his beloved ship was soon to be sold another waitress passed him by.

"A fresh glass Mr Jones?" she asked polity continuing with the disguise that earned her entrance. She knew Walter would turn up at some point, Jan had already popped up on the radar or in the bar to be more precise. He'd either been too arrogant or plastered to notice her which was just as well they didn't want to create a scene.

"I'll always take another drink." Walt hadn't gotten the gumption up and figured a little extra liquid courage would help the cause. "I" He pause as he turned towards the waitress... his eyes stopped and focused for a moment. The voice knocked a memory loose and the face was that of a ghost. He tried to pin the name to the face it till it blurted out but quickly caught the name. "Lottie?" He paused and took the drink. He leaned in slightly closer. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Good to see the grey matter is in tact," his former First Mate Charlotte Ashcroft chuckled. "I'm here for the same reason you are and Jan who's still downstairs drinking himself silly. I couldn't bear to see the old girl go under the hammer." She explained lowly. "Though I had to get creative to get inside."

"Wait, Jan is here too? What the hell?" He pulled closer to her. "Sounds like this may be a reunion of sorts." Jones smiled. "I had to dress up too." He pulled at the wire around his neck. "Can you believe they have a dress code here? Anyways, my plan is to go in and hopefully bid on her. I've got some bars saved up from the old days that I should be able to buy her outright. I mean, no one wants an old Cardassian tub like that except, well, us maybe?"

Lottie shrugged the glasses on her tray clinked softly together. "Perhaps, I guess we're soon find out."

Walt paused and looked at the door leading the the auction room.

"I'm glad to have you back, because well." He stopped again. "This may well go south. I'm not leaving here without that ship."

"Heh, was gonna say the same thing." Jan said, approaching from behind.

He took another sip from his drink, appearing somewhat intoxicated.

"Jones, never thought I'd see you again. And....Lottie? Nice outfit." Jan said, looking them both over quickly.

"Well if this isn't a hell of a reunion." Walt looked at the two of them, smiled, then wrapped them both in a hug. He let go and then stepped back. "Alright, game plan. Buy it, and if that doesn't work we steal it back. Easy enough right? I've looked this place over a bit, security is around but not the toughest I've seen. Hell I doubt that anyone is going to want to buy the damn thing. Thoughts? Ideas? Hesitations? Other plans?"

"Bidding on most of the items has been fairly tame, haven't seen too many bidding wars, but you never know. Security is pretty laid back here, mostly consisting of escorting VIPS out of the way to lounges when they get too inebriated. Electronic security is weak, easily compromised." Jan said, downing the last of his drink.

"Wait," Lottie interrupted. "You're actually going to bid like a normal person?"

"Well, I mean, it was the first, most unlikely option, I mean. Up until two minutes ago I didn't have any backup." Walt looked at Lotti and Jan, "I mean, now we can have a good old fashioned shoot out if we need.

"Really you two are priceless," the woman smirked. "Dressed like this I'm invisible, I've already won over the head of security and pinched his access codes. Shall we save the snobbery and bust out of here?"

"I mean." Walt thought about it for a minute. "Tell ya what, let's make an honest attempt and then go with your plan. Sound fair? Jan you in?" Walt looked at the door and then back to the pair. "Besides, I mean, realistically, I got wiped just on the minimum bid, so anything over five hundred bars and I'm stealing her back anyways."

"I'm in for both plans, it's not likely she'll be worth much on the block." Jan said.

"Sad but true. Lottie, you want to come in or do you want run security out here for when this goes like I think it is going to go?"

"I'll handle the guards." Lottie sighed. "Under the bar on the left side of the room there's extra fire power. In the mean time I'd better mingle with rest of the riff raff."

"Be careful, when the shooting starts, I'll look for you."

Walt smiled as he straightened his "tie" and looked at Jan. "Alright, let's do this." Walt grabbed the door and walked in. "Time to get her back."

 

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